Malatesta ton is not enough to take Collie over line

A century from Blair Malatesta was not enough for Collie to grab their second win of the season, with Dalyellup Beach recording a four wicket win at Dalyellup College on Saturday.

Malatesta opened the batting and was in great touch, hitting 18 fours on his way to 128 from 151 deliveries.

Liam Renton (3-25 from 7.3 overs) gave Dalyellup a solid start when he bowled Mark Williams for a first-ball duck, while Brayden Kent (5) and Austin Kent (0) both fell victim to a fired-up Rodney Shemeld (2-35 off 10 overs).

This left Dalyellup in a precarious position at 3/11 and staring down another big collapse.

Club stalwart Peter Grygorcewicz (2-25 from 10 overs) had Collie captain Greg Tomasini caught behind for just seven, before Malatesta and Jaxon Pitts (28) put on a solid 75-run stand.

Grygorcewicz eventually had Pitts caught before Zane Verhaaf (1-40 off 7 overs) got rid of Connor Mumme for a duck.

Debutant Matthew Pearson (12) did his best to help Collie post a decent score and along with Malatesta he got the Coalminers to 189 before he was trapped in front by Noah Greenmount (1-16 off three overs).

From here Collie lost their last three wickets for just three runs, with Malatesta the last to fall.

Dalyellup’s run chase started horribly when Jason Borrett caught Harber off his own bowling for a duck, before having James Woods (0) caught the next ball.

Ayden Parkin continued his good start to the season by removing Corey Fagan for eight runs thanks to a good lbw shout, before bowling Jones for 19 runs to leave the Settlers at 4/35.

Mitch Boyle (41) and Dillen Watson (67) dug in and put on a match-winning 75-run stand.

Fraser Hislop eventually dismissed Boyle, but Shemeld (38 not out) showed his power at the crease with a number of fine shots to partner Watson for 67 runs.

A late wicket of Watson was not enough to get Collie over the line, with Renton (7 not out) seeing his side home in the 42nd over, with Dalyellup entering the top four.